My Favorite Marlon Brando Movies
Oct 21 '04
The Bottom Line Watch Brando tonight!
“Acting is an empty, useless profession.” So said at one time by the late Marlon Brando, born to alcoholic parents on April 3, 1924 in (!) Omaha, Nebraska and left to himself a lot while growing up. Is it so surprising then that he sought attention as a bad boy in schools that would then kick him out? He studied acting in New York City, leading him to the stage in 1944 and finally the big screen in 1950 as an innovator of naturalistic method technique acting, which would influence his generation of movie stars. Many the world over consider Brando one of the greatest as well as sexiest actors of all time and I am one of them.
“I don’t want to spread the peanut butter of my personality on the mouldy bread of the commercial press.” This is a humorous quote, also found on the Internet Movie Database, that captures his dislike of the press and Hollywood. Another said that he only kept acting to raise enough money to make the ‘definitive’ film about Native Americans, and sadly I don’t think he ever accomplished that, but was in debt when he died last July.
“I put on an act sometimes, and people think I’m insensitive. Really, it’s like a kind of armour because I’m too sensitive. If there are 200 people in a room and one of them doesn’t like me, I’ve got to get out.” Brando speaks honestly here, revealing his sensitive side in most of his numerous, Oscar-nominated or Oscar-winning roles. I’ll probably be criticized for not including some of his most famous movies, but I chose these ten because I enjoyed them very much, would love to watch them over and over again, and Brando has a substantial role to show what he’s capable of. I admit I haven’t seen half of his work, but it’s doubtful I’ll regret choosing as I did to honor him.
By order of theatrical release:
The Men (1950): Fred Zinneman, director; Carl Foreman, writer. Brando took his role as an embittered paraplegiac during WW2 so seriously that he stayed in bed for one month in preparation. He certainly had me misty-eyed as he grappled with the terror of facing his physical limitations and his persistent fiancée, played sweetly by Teresa Wright. A paraplegiac he worked out with suddenly died and among other things it spurred him to rediscover his life. A powerful black and white drama.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951): Elia Kazan, director; Tennessee Williams for play, Oscar Saul for screenplay. Brando reprises his successful stage role on the big screen with Kim Hunter as his distraught wife, Vivien Leigh as his wife’s desperate sister and Karl Malden as his friend and the sister’s beau. Brando hated his role of a ‘greasy’ blue-collar worker in New Orleans who was brutal to women, especially if they were snootty or weak like the poor sister. Thrilling and seductive.
The Wild One (1953): Laszlo Benedict, director; John Paxton, Frank Rooney for novel. Brando plays the leader of a motorcycle gang called the Black Rebels, though none are blacks, and they’re looking for some fun and respect, but get none from frightened people or a rival gang. The smitten sheriff’s daughter sees through Brando’s bravado and gets a cute smile out of him finally—and I do mean cute! Compelling inside look at a 50’s rebel.
On The Waterfront (1954): Elia Kazan, director; Malcolm Johnson for articles, Bud Schulberg for script. Brando won an Oscar for his riveting portrayal of an ex-pugilist getting unhappily mixed up with low-life crime, but the love of a woman (Eva Marie Saint) offers to change his life for the better if he can put the bad guys away. Stark, moody and tense atmosphere with an exciting story and appealing cast.
Guys And Dolls (1955): Joseph L. Mankiewicz, director; Darron Runyon, Abe Burrows for book. Brando seeks to avoid typecasting by starring in this charming musical. He’s a sexy gambler whose buddies bet him that he can’t get anywhere, and specifically Havana, with a beautiful missionary. Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons are part of this romantic comedy/musical you will fall in love with as you sing along or chortle. Luck, be a lady tonight!
Sayonara (1957): Joshua Logan, director; James Michener for book, Paul Osborn for script. Set in lovely Japan during the final days of the Korean War, Brando’s Air Force Major Gruver comes up against racial prejudice in his superiors while one of his men, played by Oscar-winning Red Buttons, finds love and marriage with a Japanese woman and then he falls hard for a Japanese dancer. This is an exquisitely moving and romantic film that encourages racial and cultural tolerance. James Garner, Miyoshi Umeki and Miko Taki are also outstanding in this long, but highly enjoyable, movie.
The Young Lions (1958): Edward Dmytryk, director, Irwin Shaw for novel, Edward Anhalt for script. A blonde Brando with a cultured German accent begins the movie thinking that Hitler would lead Germany into a wonderful future with opportunities, but reality as an officer slowly corrodes his dream. The story also follows Dean Martin as a reluctant soldier from Broadway and Montgomery Clift whose soldier reminds me of his role in From Here To Eternity, but with the love of Hope Lange. Martin and Clift support each other in the same, discriminatory outfit, but meet up with a haggard-looking Brando in the end. Excellent, long look at how wrong and inhumane war is.
Mutiny On The Bounty (1962): Lewis Milestone, director, Charles Nordhoff, James Norman for novel. Brando plays 1st Lieutenant Fletcher Christian under evil Captain Bligh (Trevor Howard), meeting two of his wives on the island during shooting. It was a very expensive, difficult movie, but intense entertainment. Read my full review here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_76431855236
The Freshman (1990): Andrew Bergman, director and writer. Brando makes fun of his Godfather role by playing a mob boss who deals with illegally imported and almost extinct animals and sells it to rich diners thinking they’re eating the animal. Matthew Broderick is the delightful freshman in New York who is robbed by Bruno Kirby, but it’s a set up to get him working for Brando. Watch for the ‘Komodo Dragon’ slithering loose in a mall and Broderick and his friend following the screams. Great fun!
Don Juan De Marco (1995): Jeremy Levin, director, Lord Byron for Don Juan character. Brando isn’t the sexy one here, but Johnny Depp certainly fits the bill. I guess you could just listen on the DVD to the Latino musical score and enjoy this very heart-warming movie about the pursuit of love without the dialogue. Read my full review here:
http://www.epinions.com/content_34108313220
I’m sure most of you wonder why I didn’t include The Godfather, Last Tango In Paris (reviewed it too), Apocalypse Now, maybe Superman and The Score, his last physical role. Well, The Godfather bored me, Last Tango annoyed or disgusted me, Apocalypse Now was so dark and Brando’s role small, Superman made him more money than Christopher Reeve, though he had a cameo, and The Score also doesn’t show Brando at his best. Hopefully my choices offer you new Brando movies to enjoy. I would advise you to ignore The Island of Dr. Moreau and probably The Countess of Hong Kong, which is a shame because it was Charles Chaplin’s last directed movie.
May Marlon Brando be remembered fondly and respectfully.
“People ask that a lot. They say, ‘What did you do while you took time out?’ as if the rest of my life is taking time out. But the fact is, making movies is time out for me because the rest, the nearly complete whole, is what’s real for me. I’m not an actor and haven’t been for years. I’m a human being—hopefully a concerned and somewhat intelligent one—who occasionally acts.”
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Epinions.com ID:
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Member: Jan Peregrine
Location: Lincoln, NE
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